Target practicing and amusement device



y 1956 A. DURANT 2,743,928

TARGET PRACTICING AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 16, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. imam A .ZMQM T May 1, 1956 A. DURANT TARGETPRACTICING AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov; 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2United Sta es Patent TARGET PRACTICING AND. I AMUS' MEMENT DEVICE LyndonA. Durant, Chicago, Ill., assignor to General Patent. Corporation,Chicago, 111;, a corporation of Illinois Application November 16, 1954,Serial No. 469,159

4Claims. (Cl. z1s=-101.2

This invention relates to certain new and useful im provements in atarget practicing and amusement device and more particularly to a noveland improved arrange ment for mounting a simulated rifle or gun upon agun cabinet forwardly of the targets whereby the operator or user of therifle may manipulate the same with ease and with accuracy.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangementfor applying friction to a supporting element of the rifle "whereby toregulate the movement thereof over the. target range.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a target apparatus showing my inventionassociated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 7-7 of Fig. 4.

The several objects of this invention are accomplished by the preferredform of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and whichconstruction comprises a cabinet 10 having an upper cabinet portion 11within which is arranged a target range or field 12. Forwardly of thecabinet 10 is a gun mounting base 13. This base 13 has a mounting plate14 provided with a central opening 15 circular in plan view and whichopening has arranged therein a spherical enlargement 16 of a sleeve 17.The enlargement 16 is connected for oscillatory movement by means oftrunnions 18, the ends of which are journalled in suitable bearings 19provided by the plate 14.

Mounted for rotation about a vertical axis within the sleeve 17 is asupporting shaft 20, the upper end of which is fixedly secured in asocket 21 provided by a bearing 22 extending downwardly from and formedas a part of the stock 23 of a simulated rifle 24. The bearing 22 restsupon the sleeve 17 and therefore positions the rifle 24 with respect tothe sleeve 17. The shaft extends downwardly from the sleeve 17 as at 25,through a yoke or strap 26. This strap 26 comprises a bar 27 secured bymeans of thumb nut bearing bolts 28 to a wall 29 of the gun mountingcabinet 13.

Disposed in parallel relation with respect to the bar 27 is a second bar30. This bar 30 is mounted upon 2,743,928 Patented May 1,1956

"ice

2. the threaded end portions 31 '(Fig. 6) of stud shafts -32 fixedlycarried as at 33 by the bar 27. The length of the stud shaft 32 is of adimension less than the 'diameter'of the shaft 20 so that wing nuts 34threaded upon the threaded end portions 31 will bear the medial portionof the bar 30 against the lower end portion 25 of the shaft 2%), therebyto increase or decrease the frictional engagement between the yoke 26and the shaft end portion 25 to regulate the freedom of movement of therifle 24 through a vertical or a tilting horizontal plane. By thisarrangement, whenever the user releases his grip upon the rifle, therifle will remain in the .position at the time "of release and yet willhave suflicien't freedom of movement to enable the user to accuratelyaim the rifle or adjust its position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a chain 35 has one end 36 secured to thebarrel of the rifle and its opposite end 37 to the top wall 38 of thecabinet 13, whereby to limit the vertical and horizontal movement of therifle.

Pivotally secured to the end of the shaft portion 25 by means of apintl'e 39, is a scanning arm 40 yieldably retained with its contacts 41upon a contact plate 42 by means of a spring 43 which embraces the shaftend portion 25 with its opposite end portion secured to a post 44. Thesecontacts 41 are yieldably held by springs 45 in contact with a contactbearing plate 46 for engagement with the contacts 47 carried by suchplate. These contacts 41 and 47 are arranged in an electrical circuitsuch as shown in my copending application filed on even date hereof,Serial No. 469,158. Such circuit constitutes no part of this presentinvention.

A bar 48 extends transversely 'of the scanning arm 40 and is supportedin such position by lugs 49 struck from a mounting plate 50. Thismounting plate 50 is supported by the arms 51 from the side walls 52 ofthe gun cabinet 13. The inner edge portion 53 of the plate 50 is turneddownwardly to provide a flnage 54. The plate 50 provides an opening 55through which projects a depending lug 56 provided by a plate 57 mountedfor adjustment relative to the plate 50 and having adjustably connectedthereto by means of wing nut carrying bolts 58 projecting through slots59, the plate 46. The plate 50 is provided with guide slots 60 intowhich project guide pins 61 carried by the plate 57. The depending lug56 and the flange 54 are threadedly connected together by a threadbearing screw 62 having a knurled finger nut 63. By rotating the screw62, the plates 57 and 50 may be adjusted relative to each other. By thisarrangement and the arrangement of the slot and bolt connections, 58 and59, the contact bearing plate 46 may be adjusted in a proper positionfor engagement with the selector contacts 41.

An arrangement is provided to effect a noise simulating the report of agun being fired. This arrangement comprises a yoke 64 embracing theshaft end portion 25 and connected by bolt 65 to the plunger 66 of anelectromagnetic solenoid coil 67 in turn supported as at 68 from andbeneath the plate 14. This coil is arranged in a circuit with the rifleso that each time the trigger of the simulated rifle 24 is pulled, thecoil will become energized and effect a striking of the yoke 64 againstthe shaft end 25, thereby to effect the simulation of a report of a gun.

It will be apparent that my invention comprises relatively few parts,thereby enabling assembly of the same at the most economical cost. Theconstruction hereinbefore described affords adjusting the movement ofthe simulated rifle to achieve the most realistic effect in the handlingand aiming of the simulated rifle. Such construction prevents the riflefrom banging or otherwise striking against the surface of the cabinet onwhich it is mounted, thereby preventing damage.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a target practicing apparatus, the combination with a simulatedrifle, of a mounting for the rifle comprising a structure carrying therifle for movement through a horizontal plane and a vertical plane,means operable on said structure to vary the freedom of movement of saidrifle through said planes, said last-named means including a shaft endportion included as a part of said rifle mounting structure, and a yokeembracing said end shaft portion and comprising a fixed member and amember adjustable relative to the fixed member to frictionally engagesaid shaft end portion.

2. In a target practicing apparatus, the combination with a simulatedrifle, of a mounting for the rifle comprising a structure carrying therifle for movement through a horizontal plane and a vertical plane,means operable on said structure to vary the freedom of movement of saidrifle through said planes, said last-named means including a shaft endportion included as a part of said rifle mounting structure, a yokeembracing sad end shaft portion and comprising a fixed member and amember adjustable relative to the fixed member to frictionally engagesaid shaft end portion, and means to limit the movement of said riflethrough said planes.

3. In a target practicing apparatus, a mounting plate having a circularcollar formed on one surface thereof, a sleeve having a sphericalenlargement positioned in said collar, a ,pin pivotally connecting saidenlargement to said collar for mounting said sleeve on said plate forpivotal movement through a vertical plane, a rifle having a socketportion, a supporting shaft for said rifle having one end portionfixedly secured in said socket portion and projecting through and belowsaid plate, said socket portion cooperating with said supporting shaftto position said rifle 'upon said sleeve for pivotal movement through ahorizontal plane, and means for resisting the movement of saidsupporting shaft and said sleeve when said rifle is moved through saidvertical or horizontal plane.

4. In a target practicing apparatus, a mounting plate having a circularcollar formed on one surface thereof, a sleeve having a sphericalenlargement positionedin said collar, a pin pivotally connecting saidenlargement to said collar for mounting said sleeve on said plate forpivotal movement through a vertical plane, a rifle having a socketportion, a supporting shaft for said rifle having one end portionfixedly secured in said socket portion and projecting through and belowsaid plate, said socket portion cooperating with said supporting shaftto posittion said rifle upon said sleeve for pivotal movement through ahorizontal plane, means for resisting the movement of said supportingshaft and said sleeve when said rifle is moved through said vertical orhorizontal plane, said last-named means comprising a yoke embracing saidsupporting shaft and including a fixed member and a member adjustablerelative to said fixed member to frictionally engage said fixed memberand said adjustable member with respect to said supporting shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS626,500 McCullough June 6, 1899 2,277,467 Wadle Mar. 24, 1942 2,347,657Binks May 2, 1944 2,520,281 Heide Aug. 29, 1950

